VII: Year Of The Puppet - Funny Ha Ha

British humour, you either don't find it funny, or you don't get it.
This is a 1967 single by The Cocktail Cabinet and I haven't found any info on the artists, so here's a picture of a Cocktail Cabinet.

The single Puppet On A String on Page One records is some sort of a rarity and it even features as a collectable record in the Records Collectors Price guide at 15 pounds. (Although my copy is from 1995, I'm sure the record is worth 100's today)

The collectability of the record is because the b-side 'Breathalizer' is some sort of cult spaced out rare groove favorite and it's one of the rarer singles on the sought after Page One label. (The label that brought us the Troggs and Vanity Fare, whose Puppet will be featured later).
Breathalizer found it's way several compilations but Puppet On A String never did.


The Cocktail Cabinet
Puppet on a string b/w Breathalizer (Page One POF 046)

And as a bonus there's Reeves and Mortimer with their side splitting moment with Puppet on a string. It's from Shooting Stars, the TV show that was mainly bearable because it had Ulrika Johnson.
(listen at Youtube)

Life goes on, some updates and blog tips... (UPDATED again)

Serbia won the 2007 Eurovision song contest. Congratulations to Marija Šerifović and her girls!
You can download all versions of the 2007 winning song on the official Serbian Eurovision site. It features the song Molitva in Serbian, English, Russian and Finnish plus a host of remixes.

While Serbia is celebrating the victory it's time for Eurocovers to get back to all year round business as usual: Coverversions of Eurovision songs from 1956 to 2007.
First there some updates on previous posts sent to me by e-mail or added in the comments. Thanks to all for your contributions.


CHINESE VERSIONSI have updated the Chinese versions document with some more information and have re-uploaded it here. (word.doc, updated januari 2009)

A great addition is a lovely Chinese version of Johnny Blue, the 1981 entry from Germany originally by Lena Valaitis. (Thanks to Anonymous, not the Andorran band)
雷安娜 - 別了憂鬱
Annabelle Lui -
Bie liao you yu Johnny Blue
on LP 舊夢不需記 (No Need To Remember Old Dreams) 1981 & best of CD 真經典 Zhen Jin Dian.



UPDATE: The CD re-issue of the 1981 Annabelle Lui LP can be ordered at YesAsia.com (Global) - -
PUPPETS ON A STRINGIn the comments on the Tatjana Hubinská article with the Slovak version of Puppet On A String, Lou Kash from Funky Czech-In posted a nice biography of the singer which I have added to the article. (Thanks Lou!)

The Year Of The Puppet, featuring coverversions of Sandie Shaws 1967 Eurovision winner isn't over yet. I will be featuring more versions all through 2007.
Meanwhile you can hear an exotic version of the song at the I'm Learning To Share blog.
It's by the Old Oak Casablanca Steel Orchestra from Trinidad and you can find backgrounds and songs of one of Trinidad's longest running steel bands in this article.

Check out this blog for some amazing 78's, advertisments and loads of interesting odds and ends. The Gerty Molzen post is a must see/hear! (Thanks Jim!)

The Year Of The Puppet celebrates the 40 year anniversary of Sandie Shaw's Eurovision victory with Puppet On A String. Introduction to the series in this Eurocovers post.
Other versions of Puppet On A String already featured are from France, Singapore (Mandarin-Chinese), Jamaica. Yugoslavia, Estonia, U.K. (Comedy), Iceland, Lithuania, USA (Musical), Spain, Brasil, UK punk, Norway (gloom) Norway, Turkey, Portugal, Basque country Organland, Tirol, Denmark, CzechoSlovakia (Czech), Hungary, Russia, Yugoslavia (Slovenia), Chile/Argentina/Mexico, Sweden, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Finland, Scotland, Poland, Czechoslowakia (Slovak)

Another blog tip:I found an interesting LP featured at 7 Black Notes, a blog about the Strange Side Of Movie Music.
In the december article Smile On Your Brother a soundtrack LP of the movie Come Together from 1971 is featured. The Eurovision connection here is that the LP features no less than 4 versions of the 1967 Eurovision song Love Is Blue (Originally L'amour est bleu by Vicky).
quote: "with enough versions of "Love Is Blue" (both instrumental and vocal) to put you off that tune for life". Check it out and click the pic for the LP.
Paul Mauriats disco version of Love Is Blue was featured in the very first Eurocovers Post ever.

Spring Cleaning Part 2 + Year Of The Puppet - Marionetka

There was a bit of a delay (mainly caused by all the premature sunshine we're having), but I have now put some more stuff on e-bay, 7"inch vinyls, mostly Eurovision but also a few other things, including some cdsingles.
Please check my e-bay list here (username buzzja). Again, not the utterly rare and spectacular, but maybe some records to fill the gaps in your collection at a decent starting price. And you'll help me make some room for new clutter.

And when browsing and bidding, what better song to listen to than Halina Kunicka's version of Puppet On A String. It'll make your day!
Many moons ago found this Polish version 'Marionetka' on a square flexi disc - Pocztówka Dźwiękowa M 289 - , not a fancy one with a lovely picture like they used to have in Poland, but a plain drab brown affair.
I didn't really know the song that was on it (although the composers mentioned should have been a giveaway), so I was surprised to find a Polish version of Puppet On A String ruining my record needle.
I couldn't play it without the song jumping back all the time, but it was a delight in any way.
Another Polish flexi has the live version sung by Sandie Shaw herself at the contest (Pocztówka Dźwiękowa 020) with the German entry Anoushka in it's live version (by Inge Brück) as a second track.
The original studio version by Sandie Shaw is Pocztówka Dźwiękowa 14.
Polish flexi's, especially the fancy ones, are a joy to collect, but they should be played on an prehistoric recordplayer with a stylus the size of a ballpoint.

Halina Kunicka is a popular Polish singer and actress who recorded many albums from 1966 to 1984 and most of her work has been re-issued on CD format.
Marionetka can be found on the CDs Platinowa Kolekcija (Platinum Collection) and Złota kolekcja - Od nocy do nocy.



Another version in The Year Of The Puppet. Puppet on a string is 40. Check this Eurocovers post for all info and many more versions.

VII: Year Of The Puppet - Chile, Argentina, Mexico

The Year Of The Puppet takes us to all corners of the globe. Here's three versions of the song made by South American stars of the 60's.

Chile - Gloria Benavides - Marionetas en la cuerdaSinger and comedienne Gloria Benavides, born in 1952, was a child star rising in the early 60's, mainly with Spanish versions of worldwide hits like Norman (Sue Thompson) and Amor por teléfono (Telephone lover, Connie Francis). She was a part of La Nueva Ola Chilena, the generation of young rock'n'roll and pop stars of Chile in the 50's and 60's.

She made her actual radio debut at the age of three in the popular Uncle Alex Club (Club del Tio Alejandro).
Her teenager career was mainly musical, but she finally focussed more on acting and comedy, resulting in the mid 80's show 'La show de Gloria', a regular TV show with comedy and music. Benavides is still regarded as one of the biggest comedy stars of Chile.

Gloria Benavides also recorded No Tengo Edad Par Amar Te (Non Ho l'Eta, Italy's 1964 winner) and Primo O Poi from the 1965 San Remo contest (10th)


Violeta Rivas is a hugely popular singer in Argentina in the from the 60's to today.
You can read all about Violeta Rivas at her homepage (in Spanish)

Here is her Eurocovers Discography (all songs in Spanish)

Dios como te amo (Italy 1966, Dio come ti amo by Domenico Modugno)
- b-side to Ninguno me puede juzgar (RCA Victor 31A-084)
- EP Canciones del Festival de San Remo 1966 (RCA Victor)
with 4 San Remo 1966 songs
- also on LP with the same title with 12 San Remo 1966 songs (RCA Víctor AVL 3650)

Merci Cherie (Austria 1966 winner, original by Udo Jürgens)
- 7" single (RCA Victor 31A-0963)
- EP Sin Final (RCA Victor 3AE-3536)

Titere (U.K. 1967 Puppet On A String - Sandie Shaw)
- 7" single (RCA Victor 31A-1100)
- EP Kilimandjaro - (RCA Victor 3AE-3607)

Dios como te amo & Titere can be found 2004 compilation CD 20 Secretos de amor (BMG Argentina)


Mexico - Los Rockin Devil's - Muñeco de cuerdaLos Rockin Devil's were a rock band from Tijuana, Mexico, part of a huge wave of rock'n'roll bands that emerged in the 60's.
At the height of their fame they produced 2 LP's each year (1964-1969) on which they covered all the Rock 'n' roll classics in Spanish but also turned some Eurovision songs into fresh pop hits.

Los Devil's Eurocovers, all in Spanish

No tengo edad para amarte (Italy 1964 winner Non ho l'eta by Gigliola Cingquetti)
- on LP Los Rockin Devils (Orfeon 1964)
Muñeco de cuerda (Puppet on a string)
- on LP Nuevos Hit's de Los Rockin Devil's (Orfeon 1967)
Bum Bang A Bang - (Lulu's co-winner, UK 1969)
- on LP Los Nuevos hits de Los Rockin Devil's (Orfeon 1969)

Bio and Discography can be found on the Los Rockin Devil's website







The Year Of The Puppet celebrates the 40 year anniversary of Sandie Shaw's Eurovision victory with Puppet On A String. Introduction to the series in this Eurocovers post.
Other versions already featured are from France, Singapore (Mandarin-Chinese), Jamaica. Yugoslavia, Estonia, U.K. (Comedy), Iceland, Lithuania, USA (Musical), Spain, Brasil, UK punk, Norway (gloom) Norway, Turkey, Portugal, Basque country Organland, Tirol, Denmark, CzechoSlovakia, Hungary, Russia, Yugoslavia (Slovenia) more to come....

VII: Year Of The Puppet - Majda Sepe - Marioneta

The Year Of The Puppet continues with a Slovenian version of Puppet On A String by Majda Sepe.
The song Marioneta was recorded way back when in the old Yugoslavia days, 1967 in this case.

Majda Sepe (born Majda Bernard) was a successful singer and also worked as an actress in a few movies and in a popular 60's tv series Mija sou.
She was married to composer and conductor Mojmir Sepe, who wrote two Slovenian entries for Yugoslavia. In 1966 (Brez besed) and in 1970 (Pridi, dala ti bom svet).
For both he also conducted the orchestra. He returned to a changed Eurovision in 1997 and 1998 to wave the baton for the entries of Slovenia.

Majda Sepe almost replaced Eva Sršen as the singer for the 1970 entry, but in the end it was decided that the song suited a young girl better than a married woman. But Pridi, dala ti bom svet was recorded by Majda and released on a cassette in 1973. Needless to say, I'm still looking for that version.
Majda Sepe died in 2006 at the age of 68.

A 1996 Best Of CD Med iskrenimi ljudmi features most of her hits, but not Marioneta, which hasn't appeared on any CD yet (as far as I know)

Majda Sepe - Marioneta (Jugoton EPY3857)





Another version of Puppet On A String from Yugoslavia, Lutka na koncu by Sanjalice is here
I'm still looking for these two versions:
Biserka Spevec - Lutka na koncu - (from Jugoton EPY3836)
Olivera Vuco (Katarina Olivera) - Bosonoga (= barefoot) from 7".
If you can help me with these or any others please drop a comment or e-mail me. Thanks.

The Year Of The Puppet celebrates the 40 year anniversary of Sandie Shaw's Eurovision victory with Puppet On A String. Introduction to the series in this Eurocovers post.

Jamaica, Can I have your votes please? pt. 1

Not very likely that Jamaica, home of Reggae music, will ever participate in our beloved contest anytime soon, but then, no one imagined Jamaica at the Winter Olympics either.
In the 60's and early seventies some of the great Eurovision hits found their way to the Caribbean island so famous for its music and were covered by local singers from the 60's to (almost) present day.
Don't expect Bob Marley style militant Jah praising revolutionary stuff though, it's often more reggae of the Lovers Rock variety.
'Puppet on a string' must have been a popular tune in Jamaica as at least 15 artists from Jamaica have covered the song.

Byron Lee is the most active of them all, having 5 coverversions to his name.
Although very popular at home, his only worldwide claim to fame is 'Only a fool' with the Mighty Sparrow, a 1969 song that became a big hit in the mid 70's.
He has released many cds featuring reggae, soca and soft pop.

Byron Lee's Mighty Eurovision songs:
Walk away (Warum nur warum) - with the Mighty Sparrow
- on LP Sparrow meets the dragon from 1969 , also includes 'Only a fool'
Al di la - with the Dragonaires
- on LP The sounds of Jamaica (Towers Hall productions)
Love is blue - with the Dragonaires
- on a 7" single (on his own Dynamic label) - b side to Elisabeth Serenade
Eres tu - with the Dragoniares
- Mellow version with only the chorus sung (in English) on CD Soft Lee 4.
Puppet on a string * - with the Dragonaires
- The most covered Eurovision song in Jamaica, from the CD 'No woman no cry'.

* Puppet on a string versions will be featured frequently in this blog in 2007 to celebrate Sandie Shaws birthday and the 40th anniversary of her Eurovision victory. Year Of The Puppet.
Check out Jamaican versions by Ken Boothe, Tyrone Taylor, Enos McCloud and Paul Sinclair.

VII: Year Of The Puppet - Emil Gorovets - Эмиль Горовец

Here's a Russian version of Puppet On A String by Emil Gorovets (or: Gorovec)
In the near future I hope to feature a story at Eurocovers about this Russian- Jewish singer who was born in Ukraine in 1927, moved to the US in 1970 and died in 2001 in New York.

For now here's his Eurovision covers discography, most songs are in Russian but also one from his rare Yiddish LP 'Emil Gorovets sings the worlds songs in Yiddish'

- Austria 1966 - Merci Cherie
Мерси, Шери (Russian) - on Russian Flexi (00019601-2)
A Dank (in Yiddish) - LP (LPG 1003)

- Luxembourg 1967 - L'amour est bleu
Тень и свет (Ten I svet) - on LP Poet
- U.K. 1967 - Puppet On A String
Я не кукла (Ya ne kukla) - on flexi EP Melodija 0001183-4

- U.K. 1968 - Congratulations
Сто поздравлений (Sto Pozdravleniy) - on flexi EP Melodija Д 00025771-2

- Israel 1979 - HallelujahHallelujah (English/Russian) - on CD Luchshie Pesni (1996)

The Russian compilation 2CD Emil Gorovets - Zolotaya kollektsiya retro 2004 features all 60's tracks in Russian.

You can find discographies of Eurovision songs covered by Russian artists at this page from ESCkaz. and at this page from Eurosong.net.ru

A good discography of Gorovets' Russian work is here.Details and tracklist on the Yiddish LP are here







The Year Of The Puppet celebrates the 40 year anniversary of Sandie Shaw's Eurovision victory with Puppet On A String. Introduction to the series in this Eurocovers post.
Other versions already featured are from France, Singapore (Mandarin-Chinese), Jamaica. Yugoslavia, Estonia, U.K. (Comedy), Iceland, Lithuania, USA (Musical), Spain, Brasil, UK punk, Norway (gloom) Norway, Turkey, Portugal, Basque country Organland, Tirol, Denmark, CzechoSlovakia, Hungary

Related Eurocovers post: Find a Russian version of If I Had Your Love (Iceland 2005) here

VII: Year Of The Puppet - Siw Malmkvists Sprattelgummas

Sprattelgumma is the Swedish version of Puppet On A String. The Year Of The Puppet continues with none other than Siw Malmkvist.
Siw Malmkvists first appearance on the Eurovison stage was in 1960 when she sang Alla andra får varann to a 10th place in London. But her first Eurovision related venture was when she won the Swedish preselection in 1959 with Augustin. Thát song was sung at the contest by another singer: Brita Borg. But Siw Malmkvist recorded it in Swedish, German, Danish, Norwegian and maybe even Italian, although the Eurocovers detectives are still out on that last version.
In 1961 she won the Swedish selection again, this time with April April but she was replaced for eurovision by Lill Babs*.
In 1969 Siw performed Primaballerina at the contest in Madrid, but now representing Germany.

* Thanks Frank!

(All details and links on the German Colour TV LP with a rare version of the song have been removed, but here is a Youtube, as long as it's there)
Sprattelgumma single (Metronome J45-743)

A superb Siw Malmkvist Discography is at http://jazzbacillen.com/


Not only has Siw Malmkvist appeared in several national selections, she also has been active on the international Eurocovers front.
U.K. 1967 - Puppet on a string - Sprattelgumma (Swedish)
Luxembourg 1967 - L'amour est bleu - Blå, blå är Kärleken (Swedish)
Luxembourg 1971 - Pomme Pomme Pomme - Ett rött äpple (Swedish)
Monaco 1971 - Un banc, un arbre, une rue - På en gammel bank
Yugoslavia 1992 - Ljubim te pesmama - Ein Hauch von Florenz (German)
Yugoslavia 1992 - Ljubim te pesmama - Ge mej en doft ifrån Rom (Swedish)
Croatia 1995 - Nostalgia - Musik ist wie ein Freund (German, with Lidija Horvát Dujnko)
Croatia 1995 - Nostalgia - Musik är ingenting för mig (Swedish with Siw Wennerberg)





Related Eurocovers Posts. Three Swedish coverversions from 1959 by Marie Dieke, including a version of Augustin.

Eurovision covers by Swedish MF regular Anne-Lie Rydé


Swedish Winner Waterloo in Feathers and in Spandex

The Year Of The Puppet celebrates the 40 year anniversary of Sandie Shaw's Eurovision victory with Puppet On A String. Introduction to the series in this Eurocovers post.
Other versions already featured are from France, Singapore (Mandarin-Chinese), Jamaica. Yugoslavia, Estonia, U.K. (Comedy), Iceland, Lithuania, USA (Musical), Spain, Brasil, UK punk, Norway (gloom) Norway, Turkey, Portugal, Basque country Organland, Tirol, Denmark, CzechoSlovakia, Hungary, Russia, Yugoslavia (Slovenia), Chile/Argentina/Mexico

VII: Year Of The Puppet - Sanjalice (Yugoslavia)

Sanjalice are a 60's girl band from Yugoslavia and they were the perfect YeYe girls for the balkans.

Ljiljana Mandic, Slobodanka Miscevic, Ljiljana Jeftic and Snezana Veselinovic played their own instruments and had a relatively short career, but I don't know if there is a relation between these two facts.
They recorded mostly coverversions of Italian and English language hits including Those were the days (Mary Hopkin), Happy together (Turtles) and the fabulous 1965 San Remo song Io che non vivo senza te (You don't have to say you love me, the Dusty Springfield classic).
Their Puppet On A String is sung in Serbo-Croat (that's what it was called in the Yugoslavia era).

Compared to most other Sanjalice songs Lutka na koncu is a bit lame and it has a really annoying whistle but it's another treasure in the Puppet collectors chest.
It's high time for a CD with all their work, but so far only some tracks have appeared on 60's compilations. And they left some lovely picture sleeves.
Lutka na koncu a.k.a. Marioneta can be found on their 4th EP.

Sanjalice EP

Yugoslavia-Diskos Edk-3076

Tracklist :
Marioneta (Puppet on a string)
Znam da ces se vratiti (Io so gia che tornerai)
Haj lili, haj-lo (Hi lili, hi-lo)
Srecni zajedno (Happy together)


Lutka na koncu (Marioneta)

VII: The Year Of The Puppet celebrates 40 years of Puppet On A String with versions from all over the world. The following Eurocovers posts have versions from France, Singapore (Mandarin-Chinese), Jamaica. Yugoslavia, Estonia, U.K. (Comedy), Iceland, Lithuania, USA (Musical), Spain, Brasil, UK punk, Norway (gloom) Norway, Turkey, Portugal, Basque country Organland, Tirol, Denmark, CzechoSlovakia (Czech), Hungary, Russia, Yugoslavia (Slovenia), Chile/Argentina/Mexico, Sweden, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Finland, Scotland, Poland, Czechoslowakia (Slovak), Trinidad*, More Jamaica & more Singapore

VII: Year Of The Puppet - Lara's emotional man - Singapore

Lara (Tan) is from Singapore and her version of Puppet on a string (Duo qian lang) is on this gorgeous EP.
Lara's Chinese name is Ling Ling, and it's common practice that the singers use a Chinese name and add an English nickname.
The title of the song translates as 'Romantic (or emotional) man', completely different from the next Chinese version that will be featured here soon (see below).
The song is sung in Mandarin, one of the main Chinese national languages.

The Trailers were a popular sixties bands in Singapore in their own right and they covered classics like You only live twice and Lara's Theme (!).

Lara and other Asian singers recorded many coverversions by singers like Nancy Sinatra and Marianne Faithfull. A recommended LP/CD is the compilation 'Girls in the Garage vol. 9' on the Romulan label (I kid you not Startrek fans).
It features Asian versions of Fever, My boy Lollipop, As tears go by and also the a-side tracks of the featured Lara EP. As far as I know 'Puppet on a string' has not yet been issued on CD.

櫻櫻 - 多棈郎 (CEP 3006)Tracklist EP:
- Run for your life
- Visions
- Puppet on a string
- Sugar Town (A Lee hazlewood classic)

Thanks to Peter for the translations

recommended links:
- Lara's discograpy in pictures
- Chinese versions of Eurovision songs = A word doc. about Chinese Eurovision covers I know of.  It has record info and some picture sleeves.
- The difference between Mandarin and Cantonese

多棈郎 (the song is here)

There are three Mandarin versions I know of. Lara's, another by Betty Chung which I will feature later and one by Sakura Teng and the Quests which I am still looking for..

Lara's Lyrics:

Jamaica, can I have your votes please? pt. 2

Note: This is a Eurocovers post from 2006. I made some changes and added a bit and moved it to the top.
You'll find links to the Youtube (audio) versions of some songs uploaded by other people who I wish to send a big THANKS here.

Here's some more stuff from Jamaica.
Most Jamaican recordings I found are by male singers.

There are hardly any versions by female singers and I think this reflected the state of the Jamaican music business in the 60s and 70s.
And if I find something with a girly name (Lynn, Ambelique) they turn out to be men too.

pic from discogs

A popular record is 'All kinds of everything' by Peggy and the Cimmarons. Her version of the 1970 Irish winner by Dana  has a sort of upbeat feel which is both charming and innocent. (Youtube audio)

I think it's at least as good as the original.
The original 7"inch single features the vocal version and an instrumental (Dub) version by Carl Levey (Levy) and the Cimmarons  (Dub Youtube Audio)
(Trojan TR 7752, Jamaica 1970)
The single was released in several other countries too, sometimes only mentioning Peggy or spelling Cimmarons as Cimarrons.

Another Irish winner that got the reggae makeover is Johnny Logans 1987 song 'Hold Me Now' by Tanya Stephens. (Youtube audio). Again, the b-side is a dub version of the song.
(BMR records 7024, made in Jamaica, 1987)
I found this track on a compilation album 'Pure Lovers' (Jetstar Phonographic records) and it was also released on a Tanya Stephens 12"inch single.

Fermena Edwards
Fermena - Come what may (Après toi, Luxembourg 1972)
 + b-side dub version by Fermena and Ranny

- 7"inch single (PAMA PM 839, UK) (Youtube Audio)

Fermena - Wonderful Dreams (Tu te reconnaitras, Luxembourg 1973)
 + b-side dub version by Ranny Williams All Stars
- 7"inch single (PAMA PM 879 UK)
The subtitle is Erestu (on the label), which is odd, as that was another song from the 1973 contest.
Fermena is Fermena Edwards from Jamaica. Only three singles are known, and two are Eurocovers of Luxembourgian winners.

P.S. A

Here's some more versions by female singers from Jamaica.
A full post on elusive Jamaican singer Elaine Baker and her Puppet On A String is here.
Plus on LP Soul And Ska (Island ILP 968) by Joyce Bond there's a 'Puppet on a string', the 1967 winner orginally by Sandie Shaw.

Also check out:
Jamaica can I have your votes please part 1
Year Of The Puppet: Ken Boothe
Year Of The Puppet: More From Jamaica
Elaine Baker, Where are you now?
John Holt Obituary

P.S. A Jamaican interpretation of Riki Sorsa's Reggae O.K. still has to be found………

VII - The Year Of The Puppet

This year it's 40 years ago that Sandie Shaw barefooted her way to the Eurovision stage and scored the first victory for the Royaume Uni with Puppet On A String written by Bill Martin & Phil Coulter . Sandie Shaw also celebrates a big birthday (Februari 26) this year so it's time for a party.

Like Sandie, I have been bored by the song for many years, but, again like Sandie, I changed my mind. POAS is one of the most recognizable winners of the contest and Sandie revived her career with a big international hit.

According to the 10.000 coverversions project * Puppet on a string is the Eurovision song covered in most languages and dialects (30). Over 200 versions are listed and I hope to bring you the best of those in the coming weeks. From Estonia to Jamaica and from Singapore to Iceland, and then there's the odd Barrel Organ & Acoustic folk instrumental too.
There will be artists info, music, lists, politics, record sleeves and other trivia and it will include 60's Beat versions to 80's punk and interpretations from 2006 and even 2007.

WANTED PUPPETS
From the 30 languages listed I miss a few. If anyone can help me with any of these I'd be very to happy to feature them in this project.
Hebrew - Haleytzan - Tzipi Shavit (or any other)
Italian - La danza della note by Anna Carucci (or any other)
Bayrisch (German) - Barfuss laafen - Die 2 Peterlesboum aus Nürnberg
I'm also missing any version in Japanese, Thai or Korean.

* The 10.000 covers features details on 10.000 versions of Eurovision songs.
email me if you want to know more or participate.

The Year Of The Puppet celebrates the 40 year anniversary of Sandie Shaw's Eurovision victory with Puppet On A String.
Other versions  featured are from France, Singapore (Mandarin-Chinese), Jamaica. Yugoslavia, Estonia, U.K. (Comedy), Iceland, Lithuania, USA (Musical), Spain, Brasil, UK punk, Norway (gloom) Norway, Turkey, Portugal, Basque country Organland, Tirol, Denmark, CzechoSlovakia (Czech), Hungary, Russia, Yugoslavia (Slovenia), Chile/Argentina/Mexico, Sweden, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Finland, Scotland, Poland, Czechoslowakia (Slovak), Trinidad*, More Jamaica and more Singapore

Eurocovers - 10.000 Eurovision Coverversions !

Today I found details on the 10.000th Eurovision coverversion.
10.000 coverversions is a side project of the Eurovision Collectors Guide which started with just keeping the information of all covers I received and came across while researching for the Collectors Guide (The must have Collectors booklet with all versions and releases by original Eurovision artists).

Since the early 90's I have been keeping track of any (officially released) version I could find either in sound or just picture sleeves or release info and today number 10.000 was added to the list.

I love lists, I'm mad I know, but that's me. I have featured many discographies & coverversions lists in this Eurocovers blog which were all taken from the 10.000 project list.
Browse the archives and find out more.

This work wouldn't have been possible without the help of many fellow collectors who have contributed over the past 18 years. To you: BIG BIG THANKS!
Some facts and trivia
- Italy alone takes care of almost 25% of the coverversions listed.
- Over 600 versions are in Finnish
- I have found versions in 39 languages and a number of dialects
- 20 Eurovision entries have over 100 versions listed.
- Domenico Modugno (co) wrote 3 of the top 10 most covered Eurovision songs.
- Runner up Love is blue / L'amour est bleu has 60% instrumental versions
- Puppet On A String scored the most language recordings

here's the top 10 most covered songs from the list.
994 - Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare) (Italy 1958)
Unfortunately The Man ordered the Volare post to be removed.530 - L'Amour est bleu (Love is blue) (Luxembourg 1967)351 - Piove (Ciao Ciao Bambina) (Italy 1959)328 - Waterloo (Sweden 1974)268 - Al di la (Italy 1961)252 - Puppet on a string (U.K. 1967)187 - Non ho l'eta per amarti (Italy 1964)184 - Eres tu (Spain 1973)168 - Dio come ti amo (Italy 1966)
155 - Poupée de cire , poupée de son (Luxembourg 1965)

Each link above is to a Eurocovers post about the song with backgrounds, lists, some interesting artists and music.

If you'd like to know more about the project, participate or if you are just curious, please drop me a line.

These files (word.doc) taken from the 10.000 Coverversions project are still available for download.
- Puppet On A String coverversions in the Year Of The Puppet
- Chinese versions
- Ding A Dong coverversions

All Kinds Of Everything From China

2008, Beijing, Olympics, etcetera.
I'm not going to deep into the politics (or the sports for that matter) of it all here, I'm sure you'll find enough websites for that. Opening Ceremony was great, but I caught some zzzz's too.The square drummers at the start were totally amazing.
Unfortunately the TV forgot to include any televoting numbers when all the countries marched on, missed opportunity I say.
-

But I did notice a complete absence of Chinese visitors to Eurocovers, when normally there is always a steady flow of friends from Beijing and Guangzhou visiting my blog.

I find it hard to imagine that a blog like Eurocovers should all of a sudden be branded dangerous to national interest, so I have to assume our Chinese friends are just to busy right now with watching the Olympics. Or relocating.


潘巧丹 - Michelle - All Kinds Of Everything (in English)
- from 2005 CD Angel Of The Morning (pic. right)
区瑞强 - Albert Au - All Kinds Of Everything (in English)
- from CD Simple Folk (2000), Albert Au is a Hong Kong cantopop singer and DJ at Radio Television Hong Kong.
胭花四乐 - Rouge Hot - Love Is Blue (in Chinese)
- from the CD Oriental Instruments Vs Occidental Music, (pictured top left). Odd version, sounds more Barok than Oriental to me, but lovely still.


and check out these earlier Eurocovers posts with Chinese related Eurocovers:
鍾玲玲 - Betty Chung - Puppet On A String
櫻櫻 - Lara and the Trailers - Puppet On A String
Sakura Teng & Quests - Puppet On A String
難得有情人 - Shirley Kwan - Le dernier qui a parlé (France 1991)
雷安娜- Annabelle Lui - Johnny Blue (Germany 1981)

VII: Year Of The Puppet - Sakura Teng !!!

In the Eurocovers posts celebrating Sandie Shaws anniversary year I have featured fabulous Mandarin Chinese versions of Puppet On A String by Lara and the Trailers ( 櫻櫻) and by Betty Chung ( 鍾玲玲) and I asked for the third known Chinese version by Sakura Teng (櫻花) & The Quests*.

Well, no need to look any further, there is a great bit of Sakura Teng audiobilia to be found at WFMU's Beware Of The Blog. You can find Puppet On A String along with classics like My Boy Lollipop, Stupid Cupid and the Beatles' Michele. Go there!
The same blog has more Eurocovers related stuff here with another Puppet and Congratulations by some Dutch postal workers. English with A Dutch accent at its best.
You can also find Esperanto singer Alberta Casey there, including her version of Domenico Modugno's Volare + a very interesting Maltese LP by Joe Cutajar, Once the Joseph of Helen & Joseph, Malta's first ever Eurovision stars from 1971. And many many many weird and amazing audiogems.
Many other versions of Puppet On A String from all over the globe can be found here (links)
The Quests* also recorded 1967 Luxemburg classics 'L'amour est bleu'.

Simone de Oliveira, Rainha do festivais

A living legend, Simone De Oliveira, returns to the Festival RTP da Canção, the Portuguese  national selection for Eurovision. À Espera das Canções is the song she will try to return to the contest with, 45 years after her last visit to the Eurovision stage.

As far as festivals go, Simone de Oliveira is royalty.

The Portuguese final of 2015 is on March 7.
Update: So Simone didn't make it to Vienna, which is a shame of course. But here at Eurocovers we're happy she's still out there and we hope to see her again in some Festival or another.

Promo EP 1969

Simone De Oliveira made her first appearances at the Festival da Canção Portuguesa* in the late 50’s and early sixties, winning a few of them along the way.

Other festivals she attended are Festival da Canção da Figueira da Foz. (winning in 1962), Festival Internacional da Canção do Rio de Janeiro, Festival da Nova Canção de Lisboa (winner in 1979) and the 1980 OTI festival (Songcontest of Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries)

* Not to be confused with the Eurovision selection Festival RTP da Canção.

Simone De Oliveira entered Eurovision twice. In 1965 with Sol De Inverno and in 1969 with Desfolhada Portuguesa. She only finished 13th and 15th but both songs now rank top five of Great Portuguese Classics that happened to be Eurovision entries. 
I think Desfolhada Portuguesa only has to leave the 1974 entry E Depois Do Adeus (Paulo De Carvalho) before it in the Portuguese evergeen immortality stakes.
Both of Simones songs have been recorded by many artists and are still covered and performed today.

Simone also recorded a few interesting Eurocovers. There's Volare and Puppet On A String (but who hasn't covered these?) but also the 1968 entries of Germany and Monaco.
Eurocovers loves lists, so below you can find the discography of Simone's own entries and her Eurocovers. Finally there's a list of Festival RTP da Canção entries.

Simones Eurovision songs and versions

Portugal 1965 - Sol De Inverno (13th place)

- Sol De Inverno (Portuguese) - on EP (Continental Rec. P-QB 192)

- Sol De Invierno (Spanish) on EP Nàpoles 1965 (with three other ESC entries) (ES: Belter 51.520)

Note: Spanish EP Sol De Invierno has the Portuguese version (Belter 51.509, Spain)
Thanks for the correction Jean François!
- Sol De Inverno (in Medley Português) on LP Algumas Canções Do Meu Caminho (Live) (Ariola 1106844, 1992)

- Sol De Inverno (live acoustic 2004) on CD Intimidades (Vidisco, also on DVD)

Note: French EP Soleil d'Hiver (Decca PEP 1088) is sung in Portuguese, French version unconfirmed.

Portugal 1969 - Desfolhada Portuguesa (15^th place)

- Desfolhada Portguesa (Portuguese) on EP (Decca PEP 1276)

- Deshojada (Spanish) on 7” inch single  (Decca MO 648, Spain)

- Terre guitarre (French) on 7”  (Decca PN 110, France, also has Spanish version)

- Promo EP (Decca VC4) has Portuguese, Spanish, French & Instrumental by Thilo’s Combo. The Instrumental is actually track 1 on side A.

- Desfolhada (live 1992) on LP Algumas Canções Do Meu Caminho (Live)

- Desfolhada (live acoustic 2004) on CD Intimidades (Vidisco, also on DVD)
- Desfolhada Portuguesa (2018) - Namorados Da Cidade ft. Simone De Oliveira on CD Namorades Da Cidade. All info on this 2018 release is here at Eurocovers.

Simone De Oliveira Eurocovers

Italy 1958 - Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) - Domenico Modugno

- Nos Teus Olhos Vejo O Céu - EP   (Alvorada mep 60136, 1959)

Spain 1966 - Yo Soy Aquel - Raphael

- Tu És Aquele - EP Música No Coração 

  (Decca PEP 1131) see video above

U.K. 1967 - Puppet On A String - Sandie Shaw

- Marionette - EP (Decca PEP 1204)

Germany 1968 - Ein Hoch Der Liebe - Wenche Myhre

- Viva O Amor - EP (Decca PEP 1250)

Monaco 1968 - A Chacun Son Chanson - Line et Willy

-  Para cada um sua canção - EP (Decca PEP 1250)

The 1968 songs can be found on the same EP

Germany 1967 - Anoushka 

                               - Simone and Marco Paulo

- Duet on EP Tu Só Tu (Decca Pep 1211)

I’m not sure about this one, track could be by Marco Paulo only. If you know more, e-mail me or leave a comment, thanks. 
Update: It is indeed a song by Marco Paulo solo. Many thanks for the info Klaus! The EP features one duet, two tracks by Simone and one by Marco Paulo.

Simone de Oliveira at the Festival RTP da Canção

1964 Olhos nós olhos - 3rd

1964 Amar é ressurgir - 8th

1965 Sol de inverno - 1st

1965 Silhuetas ao luar - 4th

1968 Dentro do outro mundo - 8th

1968 Canção ao meu piano velho - 6th

1969 Desfolhada Portuguesa - 1st

1973 Apenas o meu povo  - 8th

2015 À espera das canções - finalist

Some links and sources

Simone De Oliveira FB

Festivais da Canção History pages

Eurovision Collectors Guide 1956-2005

The 10.000 coverversions project.

EP discography at Os Reis Do Vinyl
4x40 - Eurovision 1969 at Eurocovers